to-do lists

  • How do you manage your email account(s)? 
  • Do you check it regularly, or when you get an alert? 
  • Do you have your work email on your phone? If so, do you use a stand-alone app or do you mix your work and personal email accounts on one app? 
  • Do you feel like there’s an expectation that you’ll be checking your email outside of your regular office hours/work days? 

These are questions I’ve been asking other teachers lately. Perhaps I’ve been thinking a lot about email (and management) because I’m on every almost email list and group in our district. And, I often feel obligated to read them in real time. Even on weekends. 

To wean myself off the work email habit, I’ve started deactivating my work email account on the weekends. I’ve been doing this for several months now. It’s been surprisingly easy. At least, I haven’t missed anything important—nothing that couldn’t wait until Monday morning. 

And, no one has complained. I’m thinking that next school year, I’m going to set office hours on my work email account. Banker’s hour’s. I’ll still keep my analog lists, or course. 



best practice

If everyone is doing it, "best practice" is only mediocre. 

The phrase "best practice" has resurfaced again. At least, in the circles I travel the phrase seems to be cropping up with regularity. This surprises me, since I thought it had dies a slow death.  

Best practice had its glory days a few years ago. It was all over twitter, and it haunted every public school PD session I attended. I wondered where it originated, but a Google search wasn't much help. As a former dot-com employee, the phrase seemed like something shouted across the cubicle farms and communal dining centers. There was always a phrase of the week/month that dotcom managers liked to promote...and best practice sure sounded familiar. 

I was delighted to see that wikipedia includes a critique of the phrase. It comforts me to know that I'm not alone in despising the phrase best practice. That entry even offers a more intelligent alternative: contextual practice. 

This makes sense to me, because every situation is different. Every classroom is different. Most importantly, every student is different. Let's put this into context. See what I did there?